Alphabet launches new cybersecurity business

Google's parent company Alphabet has launched a new business unit that will leverage machine learning to aid businesses in detecting, tracking and preventing cyber attacks.

The new unit named Chronicle will employ machine learning to speed up the process of analysing large amounts of data to detect cyber threats faster than traditional security software. The business will have two distinct branches with one being a cybersecurity and analytics platform while the other is a malware intelligence service called VirusTotal.

Symantec's former COO, Stephen Gillet will serve as Chronicle's chief executive and he believes that Google's expertise with automated data analysis will give the new company an edge over its competition.

Gillet highlighted these advantages in a blog post announcing the new company, saying:

“Add in some machine learning and better search capabilities, and we think we’ll be able to help organizations see their full security picture in much higher fidelity than they currently can. We hope that by making this mix of technologies available to more companies at affordable prices, we can give “the good guys” an advantage and help us all turn the tide against cybercrime.”

Alphabet's large cash reserves and existing customer base make Chronicle a threat to existing security companies such as Symantec and its new approach to data analysis could potentially be a game changer across the security industry.

Chronicle is the third business to be launched out of the company's “X” research lab after the healthcare unit Verily and the self-driving car company Waymo.